AustraliaAustralian centre Billy Meakes played in Major League Rugby between 2021-2025. He represented the LA Giltinis from their inaugural season in 2021 to their demise in 2022, before moving to the Chicago Hounds between 2023-2024.
Meakes’ signing was announced by the Giltinis in December of 2020 ahead of the 2021 season, joining from London Irish in the English Premiership where he was playing as injury cover following a few seasons with the Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby. Meakes appeared in 10 regular season games and both Championship Series games (all starts) as the Giltinis claimed the MLR Shield in their first season in the competition, prevailing 31-17 over Rugby ATL (now Rugby FC LA) at the LA Coliseum. Meakes gained 913m with ball in hand that season, placing him 10th in MLR. He was selected as MLR Back of the Year for his performance during the 2021 season. Meakes followed up 2021 with 15 appearances (all starts) and 3 tries in the 2022 season, before the LA Giltinis were disqualified along with the Austin Gilgronis prior to the 2022 playoffs. Meakes was again selected MLR Back of the Year for his performance in 2022 and was one of only 2 players (with Rugby ATL‘s Johan Momsen) to earn 5 Team of the Week selections in the 2022 season. He also improved on his meters gained, recording an MLR-leading 1,553m gained with ball in hand.
In the subsequent Dispersal Draft, Meakes was selected 7th by the Chicago Hounds and represented them for the 2023 & 2024 seasons. He joined the Hounds a few weeks into the 2023 season due to visa issues, but still appeared in 14 of 16 games in the Hounds‘ inaugural MLR season and racked up over 1150m gained and over 150 successful tackles, scoring 1 try.
Through his first 3 seasons in MLR, Meakes earned 41 caps (all starts) and scored 6 tries. On 17th October 2023, the Chicago Hounds announced the return of Billy Meakes for the 2024 MLR season, where he would Captain the Hounds to their first ever playoff appearance, a victory over the NOLA Gold before falling to eventual Champions the New England Free Jacks in the Eastern Conference Final. In total, Meakes gained 1.084m in possession (8th in MLR) in 16 games (all starts, a career high) and completing 135 tackles. Meakes was named to the All-MLR Honorable Mention XV for his play in 2024.
On November 19th, 2024, Meakes announced on Instagram that he would not be returning to the Hounds for the 2025 season. Given that he resides in LA, where he co-owns a cafe, and his former Giltinis coach Stephen Hoiles is now the Director of Rugby & Head Coach at Rugby FC LA with his former Giltinis captain Dave Dennis serving as Assistant coach, all signs point to Meakes joining RFCLA for 2025.
Achievements
- 2024 All-MLR Honorable Mention XV
- 8th in MLR Meters Gained: 2024 (1,084m)
- MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 8
- MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 6
- MLR Team of the Week: 2023 – Rd 5
- 2022 MLR Back of the Year
- 1t in MLR Meters Gained: 2022 (1,553m)
- MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Rd 15
- MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Rd 14
- MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Rd 8
- MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Rd 4
- MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Rd 2
- 2021 MLR Back of the Year
- 2021 MLR Champion: LA Giltinis
- 10th in MLR Meters Gained: 2021 (913m)
- MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Conference Finals
- MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Rd 17
- MLR Team of the Week: 2021 – Rd 16